342 



Notes on the Climate of Coorg. 



[Ocr. 



As respects the very important point of health, I have no hesitation 

 in saying that, I consider the climate of Coorg as eminently adapted 

 to the European constitution, provided there exists no tendency to 

 visceral congestion. Not a single case of disease in people of this 

 class, has come under my observations which could even remotely be 

 attributed to the climate. 



Natives of the low country suffer a good deal at first from fever (of 

 the intermittent type) and bowel complaints, greatly owing, no doubt, 

 to their imperfect clothing, sleeping on the ground and eating raw 

 vegetables. On becoming acclimatized, however, they are as healthy 

 as in the best parts of the low country — and what is singular, the mon- 

 soon is the most favourable season. At this moment (July 1836) there 

 are only twelve cases in the hospital of the 36th, nine of which are 

 accidents. The few casualties that have occurred within the last eigh- 

 teen months, have been principally from congestion of the lungs, 

 always a formidable complaint among natives. To one class of com- 

 plaints the climate appears decidedly inimical, namely, cuts, wounds or 

 sores, which are always tedious, and often totally unmanageable, with- 

 out change of air. (This is a peculiarity which I believe it shares 

 with the other moist climates of India ; at least such is the case on the 

 Malabar coast, at Bombay, and on the coasts of Arracan and Tenas- 

 serim). 



The time at which the military suffer most is the dry season, evi- 

 dently from exposure to the greater variations of temperature to which 

 their duty, as guards and sentries, subjects them. On the other hand 

 the Coorgs consider the period immediately preceding the monsoon 

 the most sickly* — particularly in the lower parts of the conntry bordering 

 on Wynaad and Mysore. During the months of April and May if much 

 rain falls, dysentery and fevers prevail to a great extent among the 

 Coorgs, and are very fatal — the latter so much so, as to be called Rog, 

 or epidemic. When in Keggutnaad, this year, an immense number of 

 the inhabitants applied to me for advice and assistance, the principal 

 affections being jaundice and dropsy, depending in chronic enlargement 

 of the liver and spleen. They do not appear to be acquainted with any 

 mode of treating these complaints, beyond the use of simple sudorifics 

 and astringents. Dysentery appears to be most severe among the 

 children and young people — consumption is not common — small pox 

 is not of frequent occurrence, but very fatal when it does occur. f 



* The same is the case in the jungles surrounding the base of the Neelgherries. While 

 in the jungles of Candeish and the Tirhaee in Bengal the close of the rains is the most 

 deadly period. 



+ The Coorgs have very little prejudice against European medicines and treatment, 

 and submit readily to vaccination, with the preservative effects of which they are well 

 acquainted. Great difficulty is found in keeping up vaccination among them, owing, I 

 conclude, to the damp nature of the climate. 



